Gisburn Forest Trail Development

Mancunianfightingcat

Cheers Stumpy.

I've got the in-laws over on Sunday so could do with a good place to hide! They'll never find me in the woods if we're quiet!

Does everyone go for a ride when the buildings done or are you all too tired?

stumpyjon

Usually too knackered although I might sling the bike in the car this time in anticipation of the whole trail being completed. Oli (OP for this thread) often brings his bike, although he does tend to turn up late every time (but then makes up for it for the time he does share with us when he's not sawing his arms off ).

Oli Hayes

For a change I won't be there, my mate's racing on Sunday at Hamsterley so I'm probably gonna go up there and be a general nuisance at the track side, its not because there's only really barrowing left to be done, honest!

clodhoppa74

might well be up this week, maybe tuesday or wednesday. can't do sundays due to work

just a quick thankyou to all involved in the hard work, wish i could help. emailed martin to offer web services if need be.,

stumpyjon

Well we didn't finish after all today . But I think one more session really will see the current section done. We're bringing in 2 power wheel barrows next time 8) .

For those of you interrested looks like the official openning of the trails will be late June or early July.

Mancunianfightingcat

I couldn't make it unfortunately, Sunday was my only day off and I felt I should spend it with our visitors (the in laws). I will try my hardest to make it to the next one!

Oli Hayes

There's another dig day this Sunday, unfortunately I wont be there again!

I can only apologise for my poor attendance of late, this time i'm at Cwmcarn on Saturday, I cant be bothered to drive for eight and a half hours in one day so i'm stopping over the night at a cheap n cheerfull b&b then finding another trail to ride on the way home!

I'll do my best to be at the next one, who knows it might be a different section of trail altogether.

Jon, did you take your bike up the other week and have a go? As you know I've had a couple of runs down the volunteer trail now but it would be good to get other volunteers views on the trail so far, I've a corners in mind that need some slight adjustments.

Mancunianfightingcat

I've walked down what I think is the bit you lot have been building about 4 months ago.

It looked really good back then, the only thing I would have suggested at the time was to remove some of the closer trees as it was very tight and also nearly pitch black despite being mid afternoon.
I've not been up that way for a while and due to work, have never made it to a build day (sorry), so can't comment further.

But, have any trees been trimmed back as it was bloomin dark in there?

stumpyjon

Yeah some of the tree have been trimmed back, especially on the later sections. I've ridden it a few times now, most seems to flow quite nicely. I'll ask Nigel and Martin what they're planning to do regarding tweaking. Hopefully should finish it this weekend, maybe for the next dig day a couple of people need to take bikes and we can walk / ride the route and agree a list of tweaks? We always planned a few steps etc. to go in after completion.

grumsta

Saw some pics on the facebook group - looks awesome, nice work everyone!

pdid

I had a walk round last friday and must admit it looks awesome.

There are some mahoosive berms which are almost halfpipe like in places, can`t wait for it to be finished

A little picture teaser:



If your on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref= ... 4782136080

stumpyjon

Dig day on Sunday to finish the twisty singletrack bit.

BE THERE :twisted:

stumpyjon

Well we still haven't finished our bit , that's the bad news.

Good news is we were a bit naughty after digging, 3 of us went and climbed over the trees and rode the contractor built new bits and OMG they were fantastic. Rocks, berms, lovely bit of boardwalk, switch backs, drop offs, did I mention the berms.

I thought the berms at Lee Quarry were big, mole hills in comparison, that picture above doesn't show half of it, I reckon you'd be a good 20ft off the ground at the top of some of them. Can't wait for it to open properly.

This is shaping up to be a really good trail, and it's proper Red graded stuff.

Airienteer

Couldn't make the dig day today.....revision......blah! I'll be looking for the next one though.

stumpyjon

Two weeks today, and you'd be very welcome.

pdid

stumpyjon wrote:

I thought the berms at Lee Quarry were big, mole hills in comparison, that picture above doesn't show half of it, I reckon you'd be a good 20ft off the ground at the top of some of them. Can't wait for it to open properly.

This is shaping up to be a really good trail, and it's proper Red graded stuff.

They are monsterous, biggest berms i`ve ever seen!!!!

grumsta

Really appreciate the work you and others are doing, but aren't they trying to stop people riding the trails until they are ready? Don't think talking about riding them and how good they are is going to help with that.

I will try and make it to the next dig day, on the mailing list now.

squid57squid

is there a map of the completed sections (or even the old sections before this project)?
I haven't been able to find one on the net.

jaybee258

We are new to this site, but not new to Guisburn Forest. It all sounds great, and would like to help with some digging. When is the next dig day, and can we just turn up (and where and what time)?. I tried offered help at the new Winlatter site in the Lake District, but it was contractors only there. The riding is usually free and it would be nice to put something back into the sport.

stumpyjon

PM me your email address and I'll forward the meeting instructions. Next dig day should be a week on Sunday (5th July). You just turn up, all tools and biscuits are provided.

Better still email this guy

Martin.Charlesworth@lancashire.gov.uk

he'll send you all the stuff and add you to the email group. Your help would be very much appreciated. Now would be a good time to get stuck in, we're about to finish one section and hopefully start a new trail somewhere else in the forest.

im first to die

i rode some of the new sections yesterday hellish good fun only found one section still closed starts in quarry so i had a quick bike push down it cant wait to ride it there is some black routes now and proper red routes even the blue route back to the car park is fun does any one know when the full route is due open
also when riding down towards a river brige on the old part i saw the end of a route coming out of the woods on my left does any one know how to get to the start of it
cheers and cant wait for it all to be open

delcol

wow gisburn has come a long way all of a sudden.

i was miffed when i wasted a day there a few years back i did the full red route and was hugely dissapointed,, it looks amazing now there really has been some serious development going on,.. can't wait for it to be complete and take a trip over there.

sparrowlegs78

Went for a walk round Stocks res last night, so we had to pop into Cocklet hill carpark and walk up to the end of the route that ends near the car park for a nosey, It looks bloody good!
we were going to go over this weekend, but my forks have blown a seal so they are being fixed, so i'm off the bike for about 10 days!!!!!!!! I dunno how i'll cope
Caz xxxx

Mancunianfightingcat

im first to die wrote:

also when riding down towards a river brige on the old part i saw the end of a route coming out of the woods on my left does any one know how to get to the start of it

that sounds like the end of the volunteer built bit. That bit ain't finished yet so it would be unfair to the lads and lasses who have built it to say where it starts........not just yet anyway.

But it starts at the other end of it!!!!

TheRed

im first to die wrote:

i rode some of the new sections yesterday hellish good fun only found one section still closed starts in quarry so i had a quick bike push down it cant wait to ride it there is some black routes now and proper red routes even the blue route back to the car park is fun does any one know when the full route is due open
also when riding down towards a river brige on the old part i saw the end of a route coming out of the woods on my left does any one know how to get to the start of it
cheers and cant wait for it all to be open

Edit: removed the directions as the above message says this section of trial isn't open yet.

stumpyjon

Aye it is the volunteer bit, and as Manc cat said it's not finished, there's a bout 10 yards at the start that need surfacing (cunningly left to keep it's existance secret.....fail!) and there's another 10 yards left near the end on a steepish down hill which we're stone pitching. I'm hoping we'll finally finish it on Sunday (if more people come, we've more chance of finishing it, PM me your email for more details if you're interrested).

Sparrowlegs, if you thought the bit by the carpark was good the rest will make your head spin off .

I'll ask appropriate question about openning dates on Sunday and will post up here any answers.

im first to die

i did the down hill bit aswell bloody hell the burms are high and its not for the faint harted but loved it that much turned right at bottom rode back up hill and did it again

sparrowlegs78

Stumpyjon, I've seen the bit that goes down to the stream crossings when it was half done, i had a little walk up it, the bot by the car park was the most complete bit i've seen...........just can't wait for it to all be done and my bike to be fixed
Caz xxxxx

TheRed

I think I'm going back on Monday, can someone tell me which bits are not okay to ride?

stumpyjon

Right update time:

Volunteer bit: - finished, we got the stone pitching finished today so the whole 1.5km is open (we then promptly started a new section 15m down the fireroad to bypass a bit more fireroad).

Main trails: - all finished and rideable. There is some grading information at the start of any techy sections and all the trees that were blocking the entrances have been removed. It's not properly signed up yet and the route maps aren't in place. Martin the main man said that unofficially the trails are now open. Waymarking posts should be all done in the next 2 to 3 weeks followed by the official openning.

Next: - hoping to get toilets and a cafe on site, downside is that once that happens they will start chraging for parking (but to be honest that should be fair, Martin was pretty keen any profit goes back into trail repairs / extensions).

They are also trying to get some more funding, probably to build a skills area next although there are also plans for further trail extensions.

In the meantime the volunteers will continue to meet every other Sunday, might be putting a woodwork section in parrallel to one of the fireroads or possibly another rollery coaster section bench cut into the side of a hill. Anyway the more of you that come and help the faster / more will get done.